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Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior has criticised Arsenal for showing a lack of respect during the warm-up ahead of their Carabao Cup semi-final second leg on Tuesday.
Rosenior, who took over Chelsea in January after leaving Strasbourg, was seen shouting at Arsenal players to remain on their side of the pitch at Emirates Stadium. The Gunners won 1-0 in the match, securing a 4-2 aggregate victory.
Rosenior Defends His Reaction
Speaking to reporters, Rosenior clarified that his concerns were not about Arsenal’s players themselves.
“When you warm up, you have your half and the other team has theirs,” he said. “I’ve never asked my team or coaches to encroach on the opposition’s territory. At that moment, I didn’t think it was right where they were operating they were affecting our warm-up.”
He added: “I asked them, maybe not politely, to stay in their half. It’s not about mind games. It’s about what I think is right and respectful. Hopefully, other teams respect that too.”
Emphasis on Etiquette and Respect
Rosenior stressed that certain etiquettes exist in football and that his comments were meant to uphold them.
“I don’t have an issue with anyone at Arsenal Football Club. Mikel Arteta is someone I have great respect for,” he said. “It was just that, in that moment, I didn’t feel the respect was shown to my team.”
Chelsea’s Performance in the Semi-Final
Under Rosenior, Chelsea have won six of eight matches since his appointment, with their only defeats coming in both legs against Arsenal.
Ahead of Chelsea’s upcoming match against Wolves, Rosenior defended his tactical choices in the semi-final. Chelsea initially used three centre-backs before introducing a double attacking substitution in the 59th minute, attempting to equalise the aggregate score.
“The noise doesn’t surprise me. What other teams do has nothing to do with me,” Rosenior said. “What people say outside the club doesn’t influence my decisions. In hindsight, there are always adjustments you can make, but it was a solid performance against a strong team at home.”
Chelsea now focus on the Premier League clash with Wolves, while Rosenior hopes the emphasis on respect and proper warm-up etiquette will remain a talking point among teams in future competitions.
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